


When We Were Young

by Mi_Impossible



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF), The Sims (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Artist Dab Howlter, F/M, High School, Kid Fic, M/M, Punk!Evan, Teen!Dab, Teen!Evan, The Sims, The Sims 4, YouTube, artist!dab
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-16
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2018-10-19 13:46:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10641075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mi_Impossible/pseuds/Mi_Impossible
Summary: For Dab Howlter the name Evan Pancakes was a distant memory; a mere ghost of the past that had buried itself in the deepest crevices of his consciousness.But when the name Evan Pancakes was brought back into Dab's life, all kinds of long-forgotten memories popped up, not at all content with being ghosts anymore.





	1. Memories, Where'd You Go

For Dab Howlter the name Evan Pancakes was a distant memory; a mere ghost of the past that had buried itself in the deepest crevices of his consciousness.

So when on one average morning in the Howlter household Dab's mum Tabitha asked "Hey, do you remember Evan? Evan Pancakes?" Dab nearly spat out his fish taco. (A leftover that was probably more than a week old, because that's just how the Howlter household rolled.)

With the name Evan Pancakes all kinds of Dab's long-forgotten memories popped up, not at all content with being ghosts anymore.

An awkward introduction at the age of two where Evan mostly just tried to hide behind his mum and looked at Dab with teary eyes and a quivering lip.

A play date around the age of six where Evan begged his mother not to leave until Dab distracted him with Doctor Who. ("He can... _Time travel?_ " Evan had asked incredulously, staring at the opening credits of an episode.)

Countless times Dab had turned a blind eye to larger boys pushing Evan around on the playground and in the halls or throwing things at him in class, for no good reason other than that he was smaller than all of the other boys, and let his hair grow loose in a way that made them call him "sissy" and "girly-boy".

The final time Dab remembered seeing Evan was about six years ago, at the age of eleven, when his parents dragged him over to the Pancakes' house to say goodbye. Evan was being switched to Elementary School A, and in anticipation of his High School A career the Pancakes were moving closer to the A schools. Evan had always been the bookwormy intelligent type, and the promise of an incredibly bright future awaited him with his high marks and slight stature (which made every adult he met want to protect him and teach him the ways of the world).

Dab also vaguely remembered his parents discussing Bob and Eliza Pancakes' divorce around a year after they moved out, and how Eliza felt that it was affecting Evan's mental health and performance at school. Dab _definitely_ remembered rolling his eyes at that, because Evan had really never cared about school. He was naturally intelligent, and could get good grades without trying, but would be far more comfortable watching some geeky TV show or reading a fantasy novel than studying or being on some ridiculous academic team like the math team his mother and math teacher had forced him onto.

The truth was that, yes, Dab remembered Evan Pancakes, his first friend, and that he really would rather not think about Evan. If he did he was filled with regret for not staying in contact as he had promised, and was also reminded what an awful friend he had been while they had lived right across the street from each other. Dab had let larger guys (or at least guys as large as boys beneath twelve can be) tromp all over Evan for their own masculine mojo inflation needs, never really trying to help his scrawny long-haired friend out.

So, in an incredibly teenager-y way, Dab just said "Kinda," and kept eating his taco, trying to pretend that he hadn't just had a mini emotional breakdown.

"Well," Tabitha said in a tone of voice that always precedes something bad if it's your parent who's using it, "For your dad's fiftieth we're obviously inviting the Pancakes. We haven't talked to them in a while, but they were a pretty big part of your dad's life from ages twenty to forty-five, plus they were at our wedding and everything. Apparently Bob and Eliza are on good enough terms that having them in the same room shouldn't be too awkward. Everyone's going to bring their kids, and they're all around your age, but Evan is probably the only one you've ever met."

"Hmm," Dab got out while his mother was taking a breath.

"Anyways, just brace yourself. I know it can be difficult to talk to someone you used to know, but you've got until Friday to prepare."

"Prepare for what?" Dil slid into the kitchen, already fully dressed in his lab coat and goggles, cheeky grin on his face. "You planning something secret for the big five-oh?"

"Oh, hush you. You helped plan everything, D-bag, you wouldn't let me keep a secret if all three of our lives depended on it," Tabitha said, glaring at him playfully.

"What were you talking about then?"

"Mum was just telling me that Evan's gonna be here on Friday," Dab said, scooting his chair out and dumping his plate in the sink. "See ya later guys, I've gotta stop by the library before school to do my homework."

"Excuse me young man, what have were told you about doing your homework last minute like this?" Tabitha said, looking thoroughly unimpressed.

"Yeah, yeah. Would you look at the time? I've really gotta skedaddle. See ya!" Dab said, grabbing his backpack from the radio stand and charging out the door.

"Dab Howlter, don't use that tone of voice on your mother, how many... Oh, there he goes," said Dil, rolling his eyes fondly. "That boy will be the death of us both, I swear."

"Ah, no matter how much of a procrastinator he is, he'll still always be that little boy in fish pyjamas to me," Tabitha sighed. "He got that procrastination gene from your side, by the way."

"What! No he didn't! My dads were the two most punctual people you've ever met!"

Tabitha raised one eyebrow. "If you say so, dear. If you say so."


	2. Irritating Holidays

_"How can you not like pancakes? Pancakes are the best!" Dab asked Evan, watching his father flip pancakes out of the corner of his eye._

_"It's not that I don't like them, exactly. It's just, well, it's kinda cannibalism, if you think about it."_

_"Cannibalism?"_

_"Cannibalism," Evan nodded, kicking his chair absentmindedly._

_"Why?" Asked Dab, highly confused as to why his favourite breakfast food was now cannibalistic. Had human flesh always been a secret ingredient in pancakes? If so, why hadn't anyone told him? He looked at his father's back suspiciously._

_"Well, what's my last name?"_

_"Pancakes. Oh!_ _" Dab grinned across the table at Evan. "I get it! You are a Pancake!"_

_Evan gave Dab a small smile and nodded. "Actually, I don't have a problem with eating pancakes. It's just funny that my name is Pancakes and I'm eating pancakes. Besides, waffles are better."_

_"WHAT!? Nuh-uh. You have never had my dad's pancakes then. Waffles are all holey. Pancakes are yum."_

_"Hmm," said Evan, smirking slightly._

_"What? Have I got paint in my hair again?"_

_"Am I yum, Dab?"_

_"Aw, damn, you know I didn't mean that, noob."_

_"Language, Dab," said Dil, deftly flipping a pancake as he did so._

_"But dad, noob isn't a swear word."_

_"No, not really," Dil said, walking over to the sink with an armful of dishes. "But damn is."_

_At that exact moment Dil stepped on the ear of one of his bunny slippers and tripped, dropping all the dishes in his arms. "DAMN!"_

_"Language, dad!" Dab said, giggling._

_Evan grinned across the table at Dab, all thoughts of cannibalism long forgotten in exchange for laughing at the pile of black denim and broken dishes on the kitchen floor._

"What do you think Dab?"

"Huh? Uh, it depends on who you are, but pancakes can be cannibalism. Um. What?" Dab squinted at the front of the classroom, everything he saw blurred by sleep.

Dab's science teacher looked at him with the least impressed face he had ever seen. "Detention, Mr. Howlter. Falling asleep in class is unacceptable."

Dab groaned. He hated science class. With a passion. With a burning, fiery passion unmatched by even the deepest pits of Hell. Any day that started with science was bound to go badly for Dab. Falling asleep in this class was not a rare occurrence, but to be noticed? He must have been losing his touch.

After science Meghan Holiday was all over him (again). "Ugh! Isn't that Mr. Myars just awful!? Science must be like the worst subject ever, I swear! I've fallen asleep in that class, like,  _so_ many times! What do you think I should wear to your dad's birthday, Dab? I was thinking red, but that's supposed to be for the hostess, so your mum'll probs be wearing that! How about, like, white? I think it brings out the gold in my hair, but it makes my teeth look, like, really yellow, too! What are you wearing Dab? Maybe we should try to match!"

It was bad enough that he had to put up with Meghan at school, but the fact that her mum was his dad's friend was torture. He didn't give a good god damn what she wore, but no matter how much he ignored her, she couldn't quite seem to grasp the idea that (gasp) he wasn't her friend. Or boyfriend.

Why anyone would date Meghan was beyond Dab.

Now don't go assuming that Dab was a dick. He got along with pretty much everyone. But something about Meghan really pissed him off. From the uptalk to the push-up bra, she was like nails on a chalkboard to him.

"I've gotta go! I'll see you tonight!"

At that moment Dab's thoughts were entirely concentrated on "fuck my life". Why couldn't his mum have been right when she said that Evan was the only kid the he'd know? Fucking Meghan Holiday.

Whatever. Dab was creating an Amazing Plan (capital A, capital P) to retreat to his room five minutes into the party, listen to Muse and draw. If his dad was sad he'd say he had felt sick, then make up for it by buying a great birthday present. Possibly the owner's manual of the Starship Enterprise. If that didn't make up for it, what would?

Another positive of this plan was that Dab wouldn't have to interact with Evan. Talking to people you used to know is the worst thing known to man. Well, interacting with strangers is in a close second, but people you used to know is worse. Sometimes everything you remember about them has changed, or they've dyed their hair and started wearing Abercrombie and Fitch. It's a horrible thing.

If Dab thought about it there was no one alive that was less likely to become an Aberzombie pop-worshipper than Evan Pancakes (or at least the Evan Pancakes he used to know). But there was always that horrifying possibility, and you had to be braced for it.

And that was why hiding in your room was the right answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was inspired to update by Evan and Dab becoming children (though both of them have awful hair now). Comments are appreciated.


	3. What Goes On in Bathrooms

Dab took off his headphones and looked reproachfully at the door. Maybe his plan was less Amazing Plan and more You Really Didn't Think This Plan Through, Dumbass.

Dab had completely forgotten that he was a human. With human bodily functions. Who, at that moment needed to piss. Quite urgently. (Which may have been a side effect of having held it in for the last hour and a half, but whatever. He did not want to get involved in small talk with his dad's friends.)

With a sigh, Dab got up and walked to his door. He opened it a crack and peered into the kitchen and living area. Everyone in the room seemed occupied with their own conversations. He slipped out of his bedroom and sprinted to the bathroom, directly into the locked door.

"Fuck," Dab grumbled, rubbing his forehead. He then knocked on the door.

There was some scuffling around before someone answered, "give us just a second, sorry."

After a few more seconds Dab heard an unfortunately familiar voice hiss, "where's my lipgloss? I can't leave the bathroom like this, it's all smudged." It was Meghan Holiday.

The same voice that spoke earlier then responded with, "where was it earlier?"

"The pocket of my skirt! You knocked it out of my pocket! That was my favourite lipgloss!"

"Don't worry, it's gotta be on the floor somewhere."

Meghan sniffed. "You should've been more careful. A gentleman is never that rough with a lady and-"

"There is  _nothing_ about me that says gentleman. And nothing about you that says lady, for that matter."

There was a distinct slap noise, then the first voice said, "there's your lipgloss," in a meek voice. "Sorry, I'm not usually this much of a dick to people after-"

"Spare it," Meghan said venomously. The bathroom door opened and she marched off, not even glancing at Dab.

Dab looked into the bathroom and was met with a guy who looked very familiar turning his shirt the right way out. He had a red mark on his cheek, but the state of his hair and the marks on his neck made it clear that before the slap he and Meghan had been on  _very_ good terms.

He was also really,  _really_ hot.

Dab glared at the guy in all his shirtless glory and asked, "seriously? At my dad's  _fiftieth birthday party?_ "

The guy looked up and blushed. Then he frowned. "Dab?" He asked.

"Uh, yeah?"

"Fuck dude, it's been a long time. I like the overalls. The paint's really classic Dab."

Dab looked down at himself, and sure enough, he was wearing paint stained overalls. What a fashionable thing to be wearing in front of a dude who is both hot and clearly actually gets laid. Whatever, the dude was right. It was very Dab, and he had no apologies for being himself. The question was how some random dude who just got it on with Meghan Holiday in Dab's bathroom knew that paint stained clothes were very Dab.

The guy looked sort of sad when Dab looked back up at him. "You don't remember me?"

Dab blinked.

Evan Pancakes.

Dab blinked again. "Evan. Holy shit, dude."

"Man, where have you been for the rest of the party? I was excited to see you. Well, actually kind of insanely nervous." Evan ran a hand through his hair. "This is so much worse than any hypothetical scenario I thought of. I'm not embarrassed though. I guess because it never even occured to me that this might happen it hasn't really hit me yet." Evan pulled his shirt over his head.

Dab just nodded.

Evan had changed. A lot. He was wearing copious amounts of eyeliner, and had a lip ring and several peircings in one of his ears. When he turned and bent over to grab what was presumably his leather jacket from the floor, his shirt rode up far enough that his lower back and consequently a tattoo were both exposed. Dab snickered internally at that, because Evan totally had a tramp stamp, what the hell. Though Evan's jeans were a faded blue, all of his other clothes were black. Dab was trying not to look at the choker too much because he was pretty sure he would be the one choking on his own spit if he did.

In all of the scenarios of how Evan might have changed, never once did it occur to Dab that he might get edgy and hot. Neither one had occurred to him individually, but the two together were not thought of on an entirely different level. Dab had thought of negative edgy andhot. Negative _infinity_ edgy and hot.

"Oh hey," Evan said, stopping midway through lacing up his Doc Martens. "Meghan left her lipgloss." He picked up the tube and walked over to the mirror, unscrewing the lid. He then carefully applied the lip gloss.

_Dear God, he's wearing pink sparkly lipgloss now._

"That's Meghan's lipgloss," Dab said stupidly, then mentally facepalmed, because  _duh_. "Isn't that a bit gross?"

Evan laughed. "If Meghan is carrying any diseases in her mouth I'm already fucked." He tucked the lip gloss in his back pocket. "I'm gonna go give this back to her. You coming with?"

Dab could have said no. He could have fallen back on the very real excuse that he was  _this_ close to pissing himself. After using the bathroom he could have locked himself in his room for the rest of the party like he had originally planned. He could have never seen Evan again. He  _could_ have.

"Alright, where d'you think she went?"

But he didn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow a third chapter after over a year!  
> Whatever, it exists now.


End file.
